Here is a different take on crime

To the editor:

(re: “Trying to make New York safer,” Jan. 19)

In his letter to The Riverdale Press, Mayor Eric Adams begins by noting the problems he inherited from the previous Democratic administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio. He states that he instantly went to work on our crime problems with aid of his police commissioner, deputy mayor and others.

Unfortunately, he has not reached out to the longest-serving and most successful police commissioner in New York City — Ray Kelly — or our former crime-fighting mayor Rudy Giuliani. Stereotypical politics as usual instead of a real collaborative effort to solve the problem.

He then cites the overall crime index figures, which are compiled from police reporting agencies — these somewhat accurate stats do not include those imprisoned for their crimes. The fact remains that the upstate rate of incarceration for serious crimes is higher than in the city. And that New York City has adopted a liberalist “turnstile, catch and release” hypothetical approach to law enforcement lead by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Mr. Bragg’s initial reaction to the attack last July of Jose Alba defending himself against assault by killing his attacker was to use his prosecutorial discretion to charge the bodega clerk with murder. Public outrage forced him to withdraw the charges.

The time has come to aggressively deal with criminals who abuse, attack and assault their fellow citizens.

Mayor Adams lauds his apparent success in getting guns off our city streets. Once again, the oft-liberal parroted “gun violence” theme — as if inanimate objects themselves are responsible for shooting down, wounding and murdering people not criminals.

He says that crime has declined, but has it really been reduced in the dozen high-crime neighborhoods of New York City where the majority of murder, rape, robbery and violent assaults are taking place?

The still lower numbers of people returning to the subways prove that they are still weary and frightened of being attacked and assaulted by criminals, intoxicated and mentally deranged offenders.

His efforts at crisis management, prevention task force and youth programs are to be lauded. Our city and country must make a better effort at addressing mental health, primary school truancy, drug and alcohol abuse, and teen pregnancy. A child denied a nurturing, safe, sane and secure environment is unlikely to live healthy successful life as an adult.

On that basic issue, the mayor and I agree.

Lou DeHolczer